Consumer Reports Puts E-Readers To Test

The new Amazon tablet called the Kindle Fire is displayed on September 28, 2011 in New York City. The Fire, which will be priced at $199, is an expanded version of the company’s Kindle e-reader that has 8GB of storage and WiFi. The Fire gives users access to streaming video, as well as e-books, apps and music, and has a Web browser. In addition to the Fire, Bezos introduced four new Kindles including a Kindle touch model. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)- E-readers are all the rage and they could make a good gift this holiday.

However, there are a number of different options out there and there are some features you might not think to try out before buying one.

Consumer Reports recently put them to the test and has some recommendations.

Lots of people think an E-reader would be the perfect gift for someone in their life.

However, choosing one can be tricky.

Barnes and Noble has two different Nooks and Amazon has four different Kindles, not to mention readers from companies like Kobo and Sony.

There are even tablets that offer electronic books too.

“You can read E-books on a tablet, but a dedicated E-book reader is lighter, easier to hold in one hand, has a longer battery life, and crisper type. All of those will make a difference in hour after hour of reading,” Paul Reynolds from Consumer Reports said.

Among its tests, Consumer Reports assessed how fast each reader can turn a page.

Some are really fast, while others are slower.

Another test looked at how easy they are to read in different lighting.

The best readers have no trouble with bright light, which is good for reading outside.

If you’re going to be reading in the dark, a reader with a built-in light can be a real plus.

“While there are other manufacturers, the choice probably boils down to a Nook or a Kindle. Those are the brands with the best combination of performance, price and features,” Reynolds said.

At the top of the ratings was the $120 Barnes and Noble Nook Simple Touch with glow light.

The page turns are quick and it has crisp readable type with a built-in light.

For much less, consider the $70 Kindle with special offers from Amazon.

It also rates excellent for readability.

However the page turns aren’t quite as fast.

E-readers go as low as $70, but they can go way up from there.

Some are as much as $300, but for that you get a larger screen and more memory, which means you can hold more books on them.